《君主论·第二十五章·命运在人事中的力量·如何抗衡》第3节
Changes in estate also issue from this, for if, to one who governs himself with caution and patience, times and affairs converge in such a way that his administration is successful, his fortune is made; but if times and affairs change, he is ruined if he does not change his course of action. But a man is not often found sufficiently circumspect to know how to accommodate himself to the change, both because he cannot deviate from what nature inclines him to do, and also because, having always prospered by acting in one way, he cannot be persuaded that it is well to leave it; and, therefore, the cautious man, when it is time to turn adventurous, does not know how to do it, hence he is ruined; but had he changed his conduct with the times fortune would not have changed.
注释摘要
马基雅维利在这一段里要说明的，是人的境况与权势地位何以会在没有改变性情的情况下突然翻转。此前他已经提出命运的河流比喻，并主张命运只能主宰大约一半的人事，剩下的部分取决于能否预先筑好堤坝。现在他进一步深挖一种常见的崩溃模式：同一个人，用同一种行事方式，仅仅因为时势变了，就会从成功跌入毁灭。 推理的起点是这样一个场景：某个君主或统治者，习惯于谨慎、耐心地处理事…